2017 Presidential inaugurationkatepemberton'19

On January 20, Donald Trump officially became the 45th president of the United States. In a sixteen-minute inaugural-address, President Trump promised that, “From this day forward, a new vision will govern our land. From this day forward, it's going to be only America first...Every decision — on trade, on taxes, on immigration, on foreign affairs — will be made to benefit American workers and American families," and swore that he would fight for Americans with every breath in his body. He ended his speech with his signature “Make America Great Again” slogan. It is not confirmed how many people attended the inauguration, however those in attendance included former presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and Jimmy Carter, and Trump’s opponent in the 2016 election, Hillary Clinton.After the inauguration, the new President signed a waiver that allowed General James Mattis to serve as the Secretary of Defense, due to the fact that a military officer has to be out of service for seven years before serving in a presidential cabinet, and Mattis has been a veteran for three years. Later in the evening, General Mattis and General Kelly were sworn in as Secretary of Defense and Secretary of Homeland Security, respectfully. Additionally, President Trump signed an executive order beginning his plan to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act.The White House website has also been updated to reflect the Trump agenda, and at the top of the site includes the “America’s First Energy Plan,” along with additional plans for the military and the economy. Inauguration Day also included a luncheon at the Capitol building, where President Trump acknowledged Hillary Clinton and gave her a standing ovation. After, the First and Second families viewed the traditional Inaugural parade. At the end of the day, the president and First Lady attended three inaugural balls, where they danced to Frank Sinatra’s “My Way.” At The Liberty Ball, President Trump asked if he should continue using his notorious Twitter, which the audience responded to with positive cheers. At The Salute To Our Armed Services Ball, President Trump acknowledged troops serving in Afghanistan, and both he and First Lady Melania Trump danced with military officers. Amid the day’s festivities, protests were breaking out throughout the capital. Two vehicles were lit on fire, and police forces had to suppress the violence. On January 21, the Women’s March on Washington took place, which drew in huge masses of protestors, although there was little chaos. More than one million Americans attended women’s marches around the country. In response to the plethora of protests that took place on and after Inauguration Day, President Trump tweeted, “Peaceful protests are a hallmark of our democracy. Even if I don't always agree, I recognize the rights of people to express their views.”